Impressive Performances

Dear Editor,

On Friday, I accompanied some 140 middle school band and color guard students as they gave performances at the four elementary schools. Mr. Thompson and his guard instructor had some wonderful parents who helped with the truck and equipment for the shows. The percussion ensemble, color guards, and band students all performed very well, but what was most impressive to me was the behind-the-scenes worked they all did. Heavy equipment such as music stands and sound systems were unloaded from the truck and busses at each stop. Different tarps had to cover the gym floor for the groups. The middle school students did all of this set-up and tear down like a well-oiled machine without prodding from their director. It took over a dozen of them at a time to fold up each of the large, heavy tarps and carry them on their shoulders to the truck for the next concert and they never missed a step. There were many other examples of the teamwork these musicians exhibited to be able to play four performances and stay on schedule.

Of course, the chief purpose of the trip was to let sixth grade students know what was available to them next year in the middle school and I am sure they were delighted with the various groups. But I think the parents would have been more impressed with dedication and selfdiscipline exhibited by all of these young students.

Sixth grade parents: on May 6th at 7:00 p.m. in the high school band room, you can bring your child to choose an instrument for middle school. Take advantage of the opportunity for your child to be involved not just in music, but also to be able to apply the dedication mentioned above to their other studies in the academic world. These students really do their homework.

Seventy beginners signed up for sixth grade band last year and 2014-15 may top that number. As a retired instrumental teacher, I do not see how one teacher covering the high school and middle school can accomplish all that Mr. Thompson does with over 200 students, even with his fine instructors with the guard and percussion; maybe someday the school board will allow the program to expand even further with a teacher for both the middle and high schools.